Stihl FS 490 C-M Instruction Manual - Page 17

blades for cracks at regular intervals. If a crack is found on one blade, always replace all blades. Risk of Kickout (Blade Thrust) with all Rigid Cutting Blades Using the Grass Cutting Blade English 002BA135 KN 002BA355 KN 002BA509 KN WARNING Kickout (blade thrust) is the sudden and uncontrolled motion towards the operator's right or rear that can occur when the shaded area (especially the darkly shaded area) of a rotating blade comes in contact with a solid rigid object like a tree, rock, bush or wall. The rapid counterclockwise rotation of the blade may be stopped or slowed, and the cutting attachment may be thrown to the right or to the rear. This kickout (blade thrust) may cause loss of control of the power tool and may result in serious or fatal injury to the operator or bystanders. To reduce the risk of injury, extreme caution should be used when cutting with the shaded area of any rigid blade. All kinds of grass and weeds can be easily cut with the grass cutting blade. The power tool is swept in an arc similar to a scythe. WARNING To reduce the risk of serious or fatal injury from blade breakage, never attempt to use this blade to cut woody materials. The 4-tooth grass cutting blade is intended to cut grass and weeds. It has 4 cutting knives with cutting edges on both sides, i.e. front and rear. When the cutting edges on one side become dull, the blade can be turned over to utilize the cutting edges on the other side. The 8-tooth grass cutting blade is recommended for cutting fern or reed. Both types of grass cutting blade have to be resharpened when all cutting edges are dull. Using the Brush Knife When fitted to the power tool, the brush knife is suitable for applications ranging from cutting matted grass to clearing weeds, wild growth and scrub. To cut wild growth and scrub, lower the rotating brush knife down onto the growth to achieve a chopping effect - but keep the tool below waist height at all times. WARNING Exercise extreme caution when using this method of cutting. The higher the cutting attachment is off the ground, the greater the risk of loss of control and of cuttings being thrown sideways. Use the power tool like a scythe to cut grass, i.e. sweep it to and fro in an arc. WARNING When cutting woody materials, use the left side of the blade to avoid "kickout" (blade thrust) situations. WARNING Improper use of a brush knife may cause it to crack, chip or shatter. Thrown blade fragments may seriously or fatally injure the operator or bystanders. To reduce the risk of injury, avoid contact with hard or solid foreign objects such as stones, rocks or pieces of metal. FS 460 C-M, FS 460 C-M L, FS 490 C-M, FS 490 C-M L 15